San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Justin Miller, left, congratulates catcher Bengie Molina after the Giants' 8-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies in a game in Denver on Thursday, May 7, 2009. Molina keyed the Giants' win with two home runs and four RBIs.

If Bengie Molina did not catch Barry Zito on Friday night after hitting two homers Thursday, it is difficult to imagine Molina ever catching him regularly again. Pablo Sandoval has caught all of Zito's starts since April 16 except Sunday's win against Colorado, and Steve Holm caught that one.

It is not clear why Zito has pitched better without Molina, but he has, and manager Bruce Bochy does not seem inclined to mess with success.

Bochy said Molina needed a break, and this was as good a game as any.

"I talked to Bengie," Bochy said. "He's going to catch two of three here. He definitely was going to catch Timmy (Lincecum) on Sunday. He's getting a little more frequent rest, which will benefit him. He did go night, day, night day the first four games of the trip. It's hot here. He needs a break."

Zito has said he did not ask for any particular catcher and has gone on record saying he would like to throw to Molina again. Molina last year said he was hurt by this arrangement but this season has said he does not mind if it helps the team.

HERE WE GO AGAIN: Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti stood on the field during batting practice answering a new wave of Manny Ramirez questions. Colletti could dip into his wealth of Giants experience during Barry Bonds' days to help his new team weather the Ramirez storm.

"I think I'm smarter to help players to help focus on the game and not focus on the sideshow," Colletti said. "I talked to them yesterday a little bit about it, and if I have to talk to them again, I will.

BRIEFLY: Reliever Sergio Romo, recovering from a spring-training elbow sprain, will go on a rehab assignment at Class A San Jose if he gets through one more extended-spring camp game in Arizona on Tuesday with no setbacks. ... Bochy had no news on Noah Lowry, which means the woebegone lefty is not close to pitching again.